Review: Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn

Title: Kitty and the Midnight Hour Author: Carrie Vaughn Publisher: Grand Central Publishing Release: 2005 Pages: 288 From Amazon.ca: Kitty Norville is a midnight-shift DJ for a Denver radio station?and a werewolf in the closet. Her new late-night advice show for the supernaturally disadvantaged is a raging success, but it?s Kitty who can use some help. With one sexy werewolf-hunter and a few homicidal undead on her tail, Kitty may have bitten off more than she can chew?

It took me quite a while to get around to reading this book. I’ve thought about it many times but just couldn’t get excited about the story. After reading it, I can’t say that my hesitation was entirely unfounded but I do think that this series has potential.

Kitty and I didn’t get off to a good start. I found that she was weak and cowardly, not typically the sort of lead heroine that I enjoy. Although, as the book progressed she seemed to be getting more assertive. The ending of this book is what made up my mind to move on to the second novel even though the rest of the book left a lot to be desired. Kitty is pretty new to the werewolf scene and still learning the ropes so I’ll cut her some slack. Later in the book she starts to take steps, such as leaning how to fight, to stop being a victim.

I liked the talk radio side of the story; powerful supernatural beings calling in to ask for help with their not entirely human problems. It was fun learning about what vampires and werewolves worry about in their day to day lives. Kitty is also a firm believer in that the show must go on, even when people are threatening her and trying to kill her. She doesn’t stop the show. That takes guts, I’ll give her that.

Cormac, the supernatural bounty hunter was a cool character. I’m not exactly sure yet if there’s something between him and Kitty. Guess I’ll have to read more of the series to find the answer to that one. It was funny to see his reactions whenever Knorville would call him with the oddest request.

Kitty’s pack got on my nerves. Obviously, most werewolves are in packs but this one just didn’t sit right with me. Maybe I’ve been sheltered in my reading because I’ve never encountered such a bunch of animals. These ones seemed to favour their wolf-sides. The majority of them could barely function in normal society. Not to mention their alpha, the pack’s supposed protector. Carl abuses his power by acting like he owns all of the wolves and can do with them what he pleases. He has an alpha female but that doesn’t stop him from forcing Kitty to sleep with him and smacking her around for kicks. Real wolves mate for life, obviously these ones didn’t get the memo.

Scattered throughout the book were brief narrations from the wolf’s perspective. This was a neat little addition. I enjoyed learning what Kitty the wolf was thinking and feeling in a given situation. As a wolf, she has a very different perspective. I think she was stronger as a wolf than when she was human and I don’t just mean physically. Her thoughts seemed clearer and she made better decisions for the most part.

Kitty and the Midnight Hour was an okay start to the series but it definitely didn’t hook me right off, it had to grow on me. The series has the potential to be good and this book was a starting point. The ending has lead me to believe that Kitty will grow a backbone in the next one. If that’s the case, great, I have myself a new series to read but if not, I don’t know if I’ll make it past book two.

Other books in the series:
Kitty Goes to Washington
Kitty Takes a Holiday
Kitty and the Silver Bullet
Kitty and the Dead Man’s Hand
Kitty Raises Hell
Kitty’s House of Horrors
Kitty Goes to War

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